Upgrading graphics card

jamesc37

Posts: 8   +0
Hello,

Been out of the PC upgrading game for a while now, looking at doing up my current kit but could do with some advice on what Graphics card to go with.

Im an intense gamer so would like to run my games as close to max as i can afford. My budget on new graphics card is up to £500 (~$800) but would prefer to spend less if im going to get similar/same results from a cheaper model.

Specs

Motherboard - Gigabyte Technology - P35-DS4
http://ee.gigabyte.com/products/page/mb/ga-p35-ds4_20

Graphics Card - Radeon HD 4890
http://www.amd.com/uk/products/desk...s/ati-radeon-hd-4890-system-requirements.aspx

Memory - Currently running 4GB DDR2 - Upgrading to 8GB shortly.

CPU - Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600, 2.40GHZ
http://ark.intel.com/products/29765/Intel-Core2-Quad-Processor-Q6600-(8M-Cache-2_40-GHz-1066-MHz-FSB)

Power - Coolermaster RS850-EMBA
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/toms-reference-system,1748-8.html

That should include all the information of my current set up. If any further information is required just ask, i dont think i really need to upgrade anything other than my Graphics (but you guys are the experts so if you think anything else is needed then just tell me) and im in the UK

Thanks
 
Cheers for the reply.

The board doesn't support PCI-E 3.0 its quite an old board. Dont know much about PCI-E 3.0 and if its backwards compatible? From memory 2.0 was compatible with 1.0 you just lost some performance.

I do prefer NVidia but as my board supports Crossfire and not SLI it kinda then decreases my upgrade ability in the future without getting a new board. Although i would happily spend the extra £200 for a 3.0 board, i dont really know what im doing when it comes to building a PC if im being honest.

I was considering just upgrading to the Geforce GTX 580 on its own.
 
580 will be great on its own. You might want to wait until the 600 series rolls out and a possible price drop on last gen. cards.
 
As my Board will be outdated in the future but is still ok, another route i was thinking was knocking in two Radeon 6850's that are good card buts not great but still a massive improvement on my current set up and is still very cost effective. My board will support Crossfire, but even if i just got for one card its a big improvement on my current one with quite a low cost.
 
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